R. Scott Stephenson is an American historian and museum professional who has served as president and CEO of the Museum of the American Revolution in Philadelphia since 2018.[1] Stephenson previously served as the museum's first director of collections and interpretation from 2007 to 2018, during which time he oversaw the development of the museum's award-winning exhibitions, multimedia experiences, and educational programs as well the museum's collection.[2] Stephenson was on the team that raised $173 million to build and open the museum, surpassing the $150 million campaign goal.[3] Prior to that, he developed and collaborated on exhibits, films, and interpretive programs for a number of historical institutions including Colonial Williamsburg and the Smithsonian.[1]
R. Scott Stephenson | |
|---|---|
 | |
| CEO of the Museum of the American Revolution | |
| Assumed office November 1, 2018 | |
| Personal details | |
| Education | Juniata College (BA) University of Virginia (MA, PhD) |
Education
editStephenson holds an M.A. and Ph.D. in American history from the University of Virginia. He is a specialist in colonial and revolutionary American history and material culture with a background in visual storytelling. He received his bachelor's degree from Juniata College.[4]
Exhibits and media coverage
editStephenson oversaw the creation of a traveling exhibit called "Clash of Empires" at the Heinz History Center to mark the 250th anniversary of the French and Indian War. In 2006, he consulted on a four-hour PBS miniseries called The War that Made America, which dealt with the French and Indian War.[4] He served as a consultant on The Last of the Mohicans (1992), Hostages of Two Worlds (2001), and Washington: Man and Myth (1999).[5] Stephenson has appeared as himself on episodes of the Emmy Award-winning genealogy show Who Do You Think You Are?[citation needed] He has appeared on numerous C-SPAN programs.[6] In June 2019, he was interviewed in a segment about the museum on CBS News about telling a more inclusive, nuanced version of the American Revolution.[7] In 2017, Stephenson was part of the team, with Philip Mead, that discovered the only known period image of General George Washington's Revolutionary War tent in the field.[8]
In June 2023, Stephenson came under scrutiny for the Museum of the American Revolution's decision to hold space for a Moms for Liberty event. Thirty-nine of the museum's 112 staff members signed a petition opposing the event, which led to an internal museum-wide meeting where he ultimately declined to cancel it.[9][10] The American Historical Association sent Stephenson an open letter, urging him as CEO to cancel the event.[11][12][13] Six state senators, including Nikil Saval, Vincent J. Hughes, and Anthony H. Williams, also sent an open letter to Stephenson, calling Moms for Liberty a "hate group" and urging him to cancel the event and "stay true to the museum's values."[14][15][16] However, the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (F.I.R.E.) praised the museum under Stephenson's leadership for staying "faithful to its mission of strengthening democracy through dialogue."[17]
Personal life
editStephenson is married to pediatric neurologist Donna Stephenson. They have two children and live in Chester County, Pennsylvania.[4]
References
edit- ^ a b Salisbury, Stephan. "Scott Stephenson named new head of Revolution Museum". Inquirer.com. Retrieved 2021-10-15.
- ^ Staff, HistoryNet (2014-07-03). "Interview With Museum of the American Revolution Director R. Scott Stephenson". HistoryNet. Retrieved 2021-10-15.
- ^ Logan, Rebecca (10 December 2020). "Most Admired CEOs 2020: R. Scott Stephenson, Museum of the American Revolution". Philadelphia Business Journal. Retrieved 2021-10-15.
- ^ a b c Gaw, Richard (21 September 2017). "Capturing all the drama of the American Revolution". Chester County Press.
- ^ "Scott Stephenson (II)". IMDb. Retrieved 28 July 2023.
- ^ "Scott Stephenson | C-SPAN.org". www.c-span.org.
- ^ Teichner, Martha (30 June 2019). "Inside the Museum of the American Revolution". CBS News.
- ^ Schuessler, Jennifer (2017-11-15). "Washington's Tent: A Detective Story". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2021-10-15.
- ^ Reyes, Juliana Feliciano (7 June 2023). "American Revolution Museum staffers are fighting to cancel a Moms for Liberty event". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Retrieved 6 July 2023.
- ^ Hunter, Heather (25 June 2023). "Activist groups pressure Philadelphia venues to cancel Moms for Liberty summit". Washington Examiner. Retrieved 28 July 2023.
- ^ Conde, Ximena (27 June 2023). "More groups of historians denounce Moms for Liberty event at Museum of the American Revolution". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Retrieved 28 July 2023.
- ^ Dafoe, Taylor (29 June 2023). "Historians Are Calling Out Philadelphia's Museum of the American Revolution for Hosting a 'Dangerous' Right-Wing Group". Artnews. Retrieved 28 July 2023.
- ^ Davic, Angela (30 June 2023). "The American Revolution Museum Faces Criticism". The Collector. Retrieved 28 July 2023.
- ^ Saval, Nikil. ""Moms for Liberty is a hate group"". Twitter. Retrieved 28 July 2023.
- ^ D'Onrifo, Mike (29 June 2023). "Moms for Liberty summit in Philly meets backlash". Axios Philadelphia. Retrieved 28 July 2023.
- ^ Day, Gary L. (27 June 2023). "Senators urge MOAR to cancel Moms for Liberty event". Philadelphia Gay News. Retrieved 28 July 2023.
- ^ Terr, Aaron (3 July 2023). "Museum of the American Revolution stands up for free speech, allows Moms for Liberty event to proceed". THEFIRE.org. Retrieved 3 July 2023.